Is the CBC a Local News Predator?
5/6/202634 min
CBC is expanding its regional news coverage and not everyone is happy about it. Some local news outlets say that the CBC is poaching their staff and stories.
Plus, Carney’s government is planning a massive extension of journalism tax credits to include radio and broadcast, propping up legacy platforms owned by the big telcos.
Are subsidies stifling competition and innovation?
Host: Sam Konnert
Credits: James Nicholson (Producer), Kallan Lyons (Associate Producer and Fact Checking), Caleb Thompson (Mixing and Mastering), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor)
Guest: Harrison Lowman
Additional music by Audio Network
Further reading:
- Lisa Sygutek: The CBC is a predator of local news | National Post
- CBC president denies broadcaster is biased or poaches journalists from smaller markets - CBC News
- The Government Doubles Down on News Sector Support: Fiscal Update Opens the Door to Tens of Millions in Tax Credits for Bell, Rogers and Corus - Michael Geist
- The end of the journalism world beckons and the industry pretends it’s not happening - Peter Menzies - The Rewrite [Substack]
- The Canadian government is now deciding who’s a journalist - The Hub
- Eco News Site No. 1 In Grants | Blacklock's Reporter
- Cape Breton community TV station loses federal funding for only journalist | CBC News
- Liberals use majority to move some parliamentary committees behind closed doors | CBC News
- SCOOP: Jen Gerson: Elections Alberta's massive failure could have put people in danger. I tried to warn them. - The Line [Substack]
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsSpeaker 00:00
[whistles] Canada Land, funded by you.
Sam Konnert· Host0:03
[upbeat music] Hey, it's Sam Conrad, and today, we're talking shit about the news. We'll talk about a separatist scoop. We'll talk about liberals going off camera in committee, but mostly, we'll talk about the state of news media in Canada. Should we be bailing out big broadcasters? And is the CBC a predatory poacher of local news?
Speaker 2· Soundbite0:30
Ms. Bouchard, you just heard from an independent news operator that said you are poaching people.
Marie-Philippe Bouchard· Soundbite0:38
I on- And you are. I didn't, I didn't hear him say we were poaching.
Sam Konnert· Host0:42
Ooh, scary. Wait for that. [upbeat music] Harrison Lohman, managing editor of The Hub, welcome back to the show.
Harrison Lowman· Guest1:03
Sam, thanks so much for having me.
Speaker 5· Soundbite1:05
[tense music] Canadian taxpayers are spending close to $100 million a year on news subsidies.
Speaker 2· Soundbite1:13
Most journalists are now reliant on the corridors of power they are expected to patrol on the public's behalf.
Harrison Lowman· Guest1:19
If you don't take the money or join the club, you get shut out or worse.
Speaker 5· Soundbite1:25
Freezing incumbents in their dominant positions and stifling innovation